The present invention relates to an image recording and reproducing apparatus for recording and reproducing a multiple picture signal obtained by multiplexing picture signals from a plurality of cameras via a frame switcher, and in particular to an image recording and reproducing apparatus that fast-forward reproduces a prerecorded image.
FIG. 6 shows a general configuration of an image recording and reproducing system for multiplexing shot images from a plurality of cameras A, B, C via a frame switcher 2 and recording and reproducing the multiple image. Picture signals 11, 12, 13 on Channel A, Channel B, and Channel C shot via a plurality of cameras A, B, C are switched on a time-division basis per frame by the frame switcher 2, and transmitted to an image recording and reproducing apparatus 1 as a multiplex signal 14, then recorded on a recording medium (not shown) such as a magnetic tape. A reproducing signal 15 of the image recorded on a recording medium is transmitted to the frame switcher 2. Frames on a channel selected by the frame switcher 2 are transmitted to a monitor 3 as a display signal 16, and displayed on the monitor 3.
FIGS. 7A to 7E shows an example of a picture signal at each section of the image recording and reproducing system in FIG. 6. FIG. 7A shows picture signals on Channel A, Channel B, and Channel C shot by Cameras A, B, and C. A new frame image is input to the frame switcher 2 every 1/60 second. FIG. 7B is the recording state of a recording medium in the real-time mode. Time-division switching is made by the frame switcher 2 and frames on Channel A, Channel B and Channel C are recorded every 1/60 second. While FIG. 7B shows switching in equal intervals, recording frequency maybe individually set per camera depending on the location of each camera. FIG. 7C is an example of a reconstructed image displayed on a monitor while the frame switcher 2 selects channel A. In reproducing, reconstructed images are input to the frame switcher in the order of A1, B2, C3, A4, B5, C6 and so on, as shown in FIG. 7B, only the image on Channel A is displayed since the frame switcher selects Channel A.
FIG. 7D is the recording state of a recording medium in the triple-speed recording mode. FIG. 7E is an example of a reconstructed image displayed on the monitor. In this case, each frame is recorded every 3/60 second so that recording is made on the recording medium in the order of A1, B4, C7, A1O, B13, C17 and so on. Images to be reconstructed and displayed are in the order of A1, A1O, A19 and so on in the case the frame switcher selects Channel A.
In such an image recording and reproducing system, number of frames to be skipped was set previously and frame images were read in a curtailed fashion and transmitted to the frame switcher in order to display images on a selected channel on the monitor. This sequence is shown in FIGS. 8A. Assuming that the number of frames to be skipped is 4, picture signals reconstructed in the order of A1, C6, B11 and so on are transmitted to the frame switcher 2, as shown in FIG. 8A. As in FIG. 7, assuming that the frame switcher selects Channel A, the monitor displays the image A1 continuously as shown in FIG. 8B. This renders the displayed image changeless, thus preventing recognition of a fast-forwarding.